


To Love, To Take Care Of

by Unoriginal_Fangirl



Series: Supernatural Except Gabriel is a main character [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Archangel Gabriel (Supernatural), Bathing/Washing, Episode: s13e17 The Thing, Established Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Gabriel (Supernatural) Deserves Better, Hurt Gabriel (Supernatural), Hurt/Comfort, I Love Gabriel (Supernatural), I Made Myself Cry, I Tried, M/M, No Smut, Post-Episode: s13e17 The Thing, Protective Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester Takes Care of Gabriel, Scared Gabriel (Supernatural), Sweet Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 12:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18135551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unoriginal_Fangirl/pseuds/Unoriginal_Fangirl
Summary: 13×17After getting the Seal of Solomon, all they need is an archangel's grace. Kind of difficult, since they were pretty sure Gabriel had been killed by Amara and Lucifer was completely off the grid now.Except Gabriel isn't dead. He's just really hurt.A.K.A. the AU where Gabriel went to Stanford & fell in love with his brother's vessel. M.F.E.O. my ass.





	To Love, To Take Care Of

**Author's Note:**

> I'm alive, bitches
> 
> Okay, seriously, I've been binging Supernatural. As you can tell, I'm in S13 now. I wrote this immediately after watching 13×17, way too close to tears because ASMODEUS HURT MY SON AND IM NOT OKAY
> 
> For context, tho, because the last one shot I've posted I was at S6:  
> Basically Gabriel came back when Sam's soul wasn't there. & he stayed. But then Amara 'killed' him (expelled him from his vessel like she did with Casifer lmao) & Asmodeus captured him. From then on it's the same yeet.

Sam and Dean entered the bunker. Sam had his eyes mostly on the Seal, which was actually quite a fascinating thing. It was pretty, in a way. “You sure you're okay?” he asked, glancing back at his brother.

They dumped their bags on the map table in the middle of the room. “Considering I was about three seconds away from being an interdimensional booty call, yeah, I’d say I’m all right,” responded Dean. 

Sam just chuckled. “Well...we have the Seal. Right? So all we need now is an archangel and we’re set.” Of course, if Gabriel had been here, it would've been easier. 

Just the thought of his angelic boyfriend dampened his mood. He didn't know  _ where  _ he was, or if he was even alive. Probably not. He couldn't sense anything from their bond, which he had trained on since his soul had returned. 

Gabriel had disappeared because of Amara. Sure, she had removed Lucifer from Cas's body, before Lucifer returned in full force, but maybe she had killed Gabriel. 

He really shouldn't be thinking about it. He'd lost so much, this had been bound to happen, and yet…

Dean took one look at him and sent him a wry smile. “That sounds easy,” he stated.

Sam kinda loved his brother for that. Trying to take his mind off of all that they'd lost. It was almost impossible, definitely, but he tried. “Yeah.” 

They heard footsteps. Both of them turned their head and immediately grabbed their guns.  _ Ketch.  _

“Wait,” the British man said, raising his hands. 

Dean muttered, “Son of a  _ bitch,”  _ in the most aggressive way he could muster.

Ketch raised his brow, but didn't approach. “I come in peace.”

Sam huffed. “Yeah, right.”

“And, I brought you a gift,” said Ketch, reaching behind the wall and pulling away Gabriel.

Wait.

“Gabe,” Sam breathed quietly, shocked at how his boyfriend looked. 

“You  _ died!”  _ Dean growled suspiciously. And Sam knew. He knew he should be suspicious, but he couldn't, because that was  _ Gabriel  _ and he was  _ alive. _

Ketch pushed the struggling archangel into a chair and Sam found his legs moving before his mind could catch up. 

“Gabe,” he said again, placing a slow hand on Gabriel's shoulder.

Suspicious eyes darted from his face to his hand, Gabriel's entire body trembling in unbridled fear. 

“Gabe, it's okay. You're safe now,” Sam whispered. He knelt beside the chair, reaching out to brush dirty hair from the archangel's face. 

Dean only became angrier. “What did you do to him?!” he snarled.

Ketch almost looked impatient. He was frowning and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, hands folded together in front of him. “Not me, Asmodeus.” 

Sam looked into Gabriel's eyes with an almost questioning look, and there was a tiny, near unnoticeable nod. 

“The prince was holding him prisoner until I liberated the poor man,” Ketch continued. “And I understand you may need an archangel's grace for the spell, perhaps.”

At the word ‘grace’, Gabriel's slightly relaxing body tensed up again. He screeched and moaned in fear, wordlessly begging them to not touch his grace. Sam felt horrible. He didn't know what to do. Gabriel was always the calm and controlled one of the two of them. 

He placed his hand on Gabriel's head and slowly stroked his hair. “We won't hurt you, baby, I promise,” he murmured gently. “You're safe.” 

Gabriel didn't reach out. He leaned slightly into the touch, but there was no other movement from him. He was paralyzed. That creeped Sam out the most. Gabriel always sought out some form of physical contact with him, like a cat. 

“Couldn't you have rescued him earlier?!” Sam snarled. 

Gabriel winced at the loud noise. God, he was messed up. 

He didn't bother with Ketch or Dean after that. He just kept stroking Gabriel's hair with one hand, the other he kept on his boyfriend's shoulder. “It's okay,” he whispered. 

He glanced at Dean, who caught his look and nodded. 

Sam got back to his complete height and reached for Gabriel's hand he had put on the angel's shoulder. For a second, Gabriel didn't even shift, but then he grabbed on tight. 

Sam nearly sighed in relief as he moved his other hand to Gabriel's back, helping him get up a lot slower than Ketch had thrown him down. “C'mon. Dean will handle this, we'll just get you cleaned up. Is that okay?” he asked softly.

Gabriel nodded again, movements still nothing more than slightly shifting his limbs. 

They moved to their bedroom, one slow, small step at a time. He could feel Gabriel now, sense him. The only other time their bond had fallen away like it had, had been when Gabriel had blocked him from sensing anything. That was probably the case here too. Gabriel had wanted to spare him even the knowledge of torture. 

He settled Gabriel on the bed and pulled up a chair. He grabbed scissors and tweezers from his desk and started removing the stitches through Gabriel's lips.

It hurt. Sure, Gabriel had cut off their connection so Sam didn't feel anything, but it still hurt to watch Gabriel wince away from his fingers.

It took a bit, but he finally finished. His phone buzzed. Dean.

_ Hey, ketch and i are going to AW to save mom & jack. i know you wanna come along but id rather have this dick dead than u & u have Gabriel to take care of. 24 hours & if were not back u come find us. _

He hated the idea of letting Dean go alone, but Gabriel needed him right now. 

_ Ok. _

He put his phone down again. Gabriel was watching him with cautious eyes. 

“I'm just grabbing some water, okay? We keep glasses in our bathroom, remember?” Sam asked slowly, walking towards the bathroom door. 

Gabriel nodded.

He was in and out in a minute, returning to Gabriel's side as quickly as possible. He held up the glass. “I’m just putting it to your lips so you can drink, okay? Careful now.” His voice never rose above a quiet murmur. 

Sam did as he said he would, and Gabriel took tiny, tentative sips. The archangel usually didn't have to eat or drink, but Gabriel was slowly letting him in again and he could tell his grace was low. Asmodeus had taken a lot from him. “You're safe now, Gabe, I promise.” 

Sam set the empty glass on the nightstand closest to him. “Let's get you clean,” he muttered. He helped Gabriel stand up and led him to their adjacent bathroom. 

The hunter quickly turned on the water tap of the bath, making sure it wasn't too hot or too cold before getting back to his boyfriend. It was like taking care of a child, but he didn't mind. Gabriel needed him. Sam loved the archangel, he was willing to take care of him. 

He helped Gabriel out of the grimy, torn clothes and threw them in a corner. The archangel shivered from the cold on his bare skin. 

Sam led him to the bath and helped him get in. It took a bit for Gabriel to get used to the water, his body shaking even still. Sam grabbed the brush from near the sink and set it on the floor next to the bath. “It's okay. I'll help you,” he muttered, already taking off his flannel. 

He, very gently, rubbed the dirt and dried blood off of Gabriel's skin. Every part of him screamed to turn away, but he didn't. That he didn't want to see Gabriel like this, didn't mean he could just turn his back. Not now. Not with Gabriel so fragile and afraid. 

He reached next to the tub for the shampoo and squeezed some onto his hand before gently rubbing it into Gabriel's damp hair. He washed it out with practiced ease. It wasn’t the first time he cleaned Gabriel's hair. Neither was it the first that he dragged the brush through it, untangling the worst knots with his fingers to avoid hurting him. 

“I'm just grabbing something for you to wear, okay? Be right back,” he said softly, before standing up and returning not a minute later with one of his own flannels and a pair of boxers from Gabriel's personal wardrobe. He usually snapped up some clothes, but Sam had insisted on him owning  _ something  _ in case of emergencies. 

He quickly rinsed out the shampoo and helped Gabriel out of the tub before draining it. He wrapped his boyfriend in soft towels. The suspicious look was almost gone from his golden eyes, although the caution was still clear. It wouldn't go away soon, Sam knew. But it would be okay. Eventually, it would all be okay. 

He dried off Gabriel and wrapped him in the flannel he’d brought. Gabriel always found a comfort in wearing anything of Sam's, and this was no different. 

He slowly placed a hand on Gabriel's back and led him to the bed. Gabriel lay down easily. When Sam was about to tuck him in and sit back in the chair, a sharp inhale sounded from the archangel's lips. “Sam,” he croaked out, voice still thin and wary. 

Sam barely hid his excitement at the progress. He smiled softly. “Hey,” he greeted. 

“Come here.” Gabriel’s voice cracked with every syllable, but it was progress. 

So Sam obliged. He lay down next to Gabriel, facing his boyfriend. “I'm so glad you're home,” he whispered softly. 

Gabriel took his hand in his two own, playing with his fingers. Then he snuggled into Sam's chest. “Okay,” he said slowly to himself.

“You're okay now,” Sam agreed, and he placed a loose arm over the archangel's waist. “Nothing will get to you. I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm gay, tired & sad but still alive so theres that
> 
> I didnt kill myself after Charlie died bE PROUD OF ME


End file.
